The Game Begins
by Elle917
Summary: When Ryou and Bakura get their acceptance letter to Hogwarts at the age of eleven, things seem fairly normal. But the two aren't exactly normal twins, and when an Egyptian transfer student enters the mix, things only get complicated from there.
1. The Letter From Hogwarts

**A/N: **This idea came to me and I thought…why not? Combine two of my current obsessions into one. Yugioh timeline wise, this fic is set in a semi-AU universe. Harry Potter wise, this takes place three years after the Battle of Hogwarts, in 2001.

A lot of the details will be hammered out later, but for now, enjoy baby (okay, eleven-year-old) Ryou and Bakura!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Yugioh or Harry Potter.

XxXxX

**CHAPTER 1: THE LETTER FROM HOGWARTS**

Ryou Bakura knew as soon as he reached the foot of the stairs that something special had happened. He knew it as well as he knew his own name. For one, his little sister was sitting at the breakfast table looking particularly cross, her arms folded and a pout on her face. Heka, the family owl, stood on the table, pecking idly at some crumbs that Amane had set out for her. Across the table, his father beamed at him, an issue of the Daily Prophet in his hands.

He glanced down at the table, feeling his heart begin to beat.

A letter sat innocently on the table, looking back up at him. It was sealed with a four-sided seal that he knew well by now—a lion, badger, snake, and eagle. Ryou picked it up with bated breath, turning it over.

_Mr. R. Bakura_

"This is…" he said quietly, about to break the seal.

His father stopped him. "Ryou," he said, still smiling as he handed him another envelope. "There's more."

Ryou frowned, taking the second envelope from his father. Like his, it also bore the Hogwarts seal on the back. He turned it over.

_Mr. Y. Bakura_

Ryou's eyes widened in realization. "But this means…"

"I guess there's no fooling that quill they have," said his father. Makoto Bakura put down his newspaper, eyeing his eleven-year-old son from across the table. "Shouldn't you two open them together?"

Ryou stared at his father for a moment as if considering his words, then nodded once, dropping both letters on the table and running out of the kitchen. "I'll be right back!" he said.

Makoto smiled, listening to the sound of his son running excitedly up the stairs.

XxXxX

Yami Bakura was having a dream.

That didn't happen very often in this state. He had to sleep often—such was the nuisance of having a body again, and a _child's _at that—but dreams were few and far between. He had been dreaming more often lately though, evidence, perhaps, of his growing humanity. The former thief, now boy, did his best not to consider that.

Still, it was a pleasant dream. He was standing in the sands of his homeland, looking out over a familiar desert scene. The winds moved through the sands, stirring them. Oddly enough, he felt at ease.

The peace was suddenly shattered by the feeling of something small, loud, and annoying jumping onto his bed.

"Yami! Yami, wake up!"

Bakura groaned, lashing out with one arm and attempting to shove the invader away as he buried deeper into his blankets. "Shut up!" he growled. It wasn't as intimidating as it should have been—his voice hadn't yet broken in this body, and it only served to make him sound petulant, something that irritated him even more. The boy was undeterred though. He reached out, tugging on Bakura's blankets and attempting to pull them down.

He sorely regretted that killing the boy would be tantamount to suicide, considering he was the only member of this household he specifically wanted to kill.

"What do you _want_?" he finally asked, realizing that Ryou wasn't backing down. He cracked an eye open, staring at the currently excited fluffball. It should have been illegal to be so excited so early in the morning. He almost missed the quiet, terrified Ryou of a few years ago.

"I got my letter to Hogwarts!" said Ryou.

"Fantastic," drawled Bakura, burrowing back into his pillows. "Now I'll finally be rid of you."

"No, you don't understand!" said Ryou, tugging him back up. "You got one too!"

Bakura opened his eyes reluctantly, glancing at Ryou from under his blankets. "What?" he asked.

"You got a letter too," said Ryou. "Somehow, they know about you!"

Bakura frowned as he processed this information. He decided it wasn't particularly pressing at the moment, and lay his head back down. "So what?" he asked.

"But—don't you want to see what it says?" asked Ryou, still persistent.

"Hikari, I already _know _what it says," said Bakura. "Congratulations. You've been accepted into Hogwarts. Blah blah blah. Go away. I'll deal with it in the morning."

"It _is _morning," said Ryou.

"It's not morning until I wake up!" insisted Bakura, throwing the quilt over himself to end the conversation. The former spirit sighed in relief as he felt Ryou slide off of the bed, apparently defeated.

His relief was short-lived, however, as his hikari suddenly let out a loud shout _inside his mind. _Bakura's eyes snapped open, and he threw the quilt off of himself, rounding on his hikari.

"_BLOODY HELL! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" _

XxXxX

A few moments later, a disgruntled Bakura sat at the breakfast table, angrily shoving food in his mouth. He glared daggers at the boy that sat across the table from him. Ryou was smiling as he ate, despite the fact that his pyjamas were askew from Bakura springing up and grabbing him by the front of his shirt. Bakura was starting to wonder if he might not have irreparably damaged his light in some way by possessing him at such a young age. Not that he was guilty, or anything like that.

The boy was happily reading his letter.

"Mine says we have to get our books, Yami. What does yours say?" asked Ryou.

"Oh, I don't know. How about _the same bloody THING?" _asked Bakura. The former thief had glanced over his letter before setting it aside. Like he had told Ryou, it didn't really tell him anything unexpected.

"Yami, what did I tell you about language at the table?" asked Makoto, looking up at him.

Bakura rolled his eyes. "You aren't my father," he said. It was an automatic response by now. In the four years since Bakura had possessed Ryou and his father had taken him to a Japanese wizard to have them separated, the two had come to a bit of a truce. Bakura would get food, lodging, and the same opportunities and care provided to Ryou—minus the lovey-dovey family crap that he neither needed nor cared for—and he would obey the rules of the house…

…Most of the time.

…Maybe half of the time.

"Maybe not, _youkai-kun_," said Makoto, sighing. "But I may as well be." He set down his copy of the Prophet, looking over at Ryou. "Now, Ryou," he said. "I know we've been over this, but I need to ask again. Are you _sure _you would rather go to Hogwarts than Mahoutokoro?"

Ryou nodded once, looking suddenly serious. "I'm sure," he said.

"What about you, Yami?" asked Makoto.

Bakura shrugged. "Why not?" he asked. He honestly had no interest in getting a wizarding education, but he had the potential for it apparently, and he understood that there was no other way to get anywhere in these times. Plus, it allowed him to blend in, and although he had no current plans, he knew that blending in would likely be the first step for any plans he wanted to make.

Once he was grown, of course. This 'child' business was rather annoying.

"Then it's settled," said Makoto. "We'll head to Diagon Alley as soon as you boys get dressed."

"Why do they have to go?" whined Amane.

"You'll get your letter soon, Amane-chan," said Ryou, smiling at his sister and patting her on the head. Amane ducked under his hand, proof that she was still sulking.

Bakura ignored the display of sibling affection…or rivalry (he honestly wasn't quite sure), a thought occurring to him. He folded his arms, looking back at Makoto. "Are you travelling?" he asked. Ryou looked up, suddenly realizing that he hadn't asked that.

Makoto sighed. "Unfortunately," he said. "A colleague of mine at Mahoutokoro has some things he wants me to look at.

"Great, you're all leaving," said Amane, folding her arms. "Are you leaving me at Granny's again?"

"No, Amane-chan, this time you're coming with me," said Makoto, smiling at her. "I'm not doing anything dangerous this time around."

"Coming with you to Japan?" asked Amane, with wide-eyes. "But there are monsters there!"

"Don't get eaten," said Bakura with an evil grin, leaning forward across the table.

Amane's eyes widened and she shrank back, but then she scowled, glaring at him. "Yami, stop teasing me!"

"Don't worry," said Makoto, reaching over and taking a roll. He buttered it, not even looking up at them. "You've already seen the scariest thing there."

"I'm from Egypt, old man!" corrected Bakura, turning towards him.

"Right, of course, oh great thief king," said Makoto. "Would you like some more milk?"

Bakura scowled and glared in reply, his eyes flicking towards his glass, which was indeed empty. He folded his arms, settling back into his seat. "Yes please," he reluctantly replied.

XxXxX

A few hours later, the four of them were in Diagon Alley, Bakura and Ryou both carrying bags of school supplies. The pair had already gotten fit for their uniform robes, where Bakura had to endure Madam Malkin's constant cooing over "what a cute pair of twins" Makoto had. They had also collected their books at Flourish and Blotts', and Bakura had practically had to drag his light out of the bookstore. Ryou, predictably, wanted to read _everything_. A set of crystal phials, scales, a cauldron, and a brass telescope later, and all they were looking for was a wand.

And a pet. Makoto had insisted that if he and Amane were going to be in Japan for the school year, the pair would need at least one owl between them. But they were going to get that last, and as far as Bakura was considered, he could care less about the pet.

He _wanted _the wand.

It didn't take him long to figure out that magic in this world was power, and that if he wanted power, he would need to have magic. It had been explained to him that since he was never technically _born, _at least not in this time_, _he might not have been listed for Hogwarts, but now that he was, it had opened up so many doors. The possibilities were literally endless.

But before he could become a wizard, he would need a wand.

And that brought the four of them into the cramped, musty shop that was Ollivander's.

Ollivander himself shuffled out to meet them. He looked more tired and worn since the events of three years ago had occurred, but there was still no better wand maker in England. His eyes fixed on Makoto as he entered.

"Makoto Bakura," he said, quietly. "I never made your wand. It was cherry and kitsune hair, wasn't it? Murasame make?"

Makoto smiled, nodding once. "As always, your memory astounds me, Mister Ollivander," he said.

"I remember that wand," said Ollivander, smiling and nodding as if he had thought of a fond memory. "I remember Alice's wand better. Laurel and phoenix feather, eleven and a half inches, surprisingly rigid." He shook his head. "Such a shame…" he said quietly. "We lost so many…"

"Indeed…" said Makoto, a solemn frown on his face as he nodded. Ryou's expression grew solemn as well, and he gripped Amane's hand tighter. Bakura leaned against the wall, watching them. The moment of silence passed, and Ollivander looked up.

"But enough of that," he said. "Are these your children."

"Yes," said Makoto, nodding. He motioned Bakura over, and the former thief shoved his hands into his pockets, walking up to them. "This is Ryou, Yami, and Amane." He released Amane's hand just long enough to put a hand on Ryou and Bakura's shoulders. "These two need wands today."

"Ready for Hogwarts, are we?" asked Ollivander, chuckling to himself. "Don't worry. We'll get you sorted right away. Let's start with the elder."

"You're up," said Bakura, folding his arms and taking a step back. He had no qualms relinquishing the role of elder "twin" to Ryou. It was technically true. Ryou's body was older than his, even though his mind was thousands of years older. Ryou stepped forward somewhat nervously, facing the man.

"Extend your wand arm," said Ollivander.

Ryou obediently extended his right hand. Immediately, a pink tape measure began moving, taking his measurements as Ollivander walked away, muttering to himself as he examined the shelves around him. He pulled out a box a few moments later, handing it to Ryou.

"Walnut and phoenix feather. Thirteen inches. Pliable. Try it."

Ryou picked up the wand, awkwardly moving it around. A series of sparks fizzed erratically from the tip and Ollivander shook his head, taking the wand from him. "Too versatile," he muttered under his breath, putting the wand back on the shelf and pulling out another.

"Try this," he said. "Redwood and dragon heartstring. Twelve and three-quarter inches. Sturdy."

He took it. Almost immediately, a bolt shot from it, shattering one of the nearby vases. Ryou went red, stammering an apology. Ollivander reacted only by shaking his head again, taking the wand from him. "And that was too forceful…" he said to himself, staring at Ryou. "Now, then, Mister Bakura…what sort of wand would best fit you…Hmm…I wonder…perhaps…yes, worth a try..."

He walked off. Bakura watched as he picked a small, slender box off of the shelf. He opened it, offering it to Ryou. The wand inside was white and surprisingly slender. As Ryou reached for it, it seemed to roll over, avoiding his fingertips. He pursed his lips and grabbed onto it, drawing it from the box. "Hazel and unicorn hair, thirteen inches, flexible," he said. "Give it a try."

Ryou took a deep breath and nodded, waving the wand in an arc.

Threads of silver erupted from the tip, coiling in a circle around him, accompanied by the sound of tinkling bells. "Yes!" said Ollivander. "Yes, that's perfect. Hazel and unicorn hair…now that's a combination. That wand will stay loyal to you for as long as you live, boy. It will be used by no other, and it will die with you."

"I like it," said Ryou, smiling as he put the wand back in the box. "It feels warm."

"It's chosen you," said Ollivander. He closed the box, handing it back to Ryou. He took it with both hands, walking back to his father.

The wandmaker looked up. "Now for the other one," he said.

When Bakura stepped forward, Ollivander frowned, peering at him from over his glasses. At length, he shook his head, making a 'tsk'ing sound under his breath. "Makoto…you've been messing with old magic again, haven't you?"

"Ah, you've caught me," said Makoto with a smile. "We had a bit of an accident about four years ago, with an artifact I brought back from Egypt, but all's well that ends well."

Bakura glared at Ollivander. The effect wasn't very intimidating, considering he was in an eleven-year-old body and had to look up to glare, but the effort was there nonetheless. Ollivander only shook his head. "You don't scare me, little thief," he said. "Let us see what wand fits you."

Unlike Ryou, it took Bakura much longer, and several more broken objects, to find his perfect match. Ollivander put away the sixth wand, shaking his head. "I would have thought chestnut and dragon heartstring would have worked…" he commented, turning around and looking through the shelves. "But not to worry. I've worked with the difficult before…" He extracted another box from the shelves. He handed the box to Bakura, opening it and presenting the wand. It was thicker than Ryou's, and was made of a reddish brown wood.

"Yew and dragon heartstring. Twelve and three-quarter inches. Unyielding."

Bakura frowned, reaching down and taking it. As soon as his hands closed around the handle, he felt fire move through his veins, the wand immediately pushing back against him. He grinned, feeling the wand test him as power rushed through him, and he raised it, pointing it at the wall. Flame poured from its tip, flaring up in front of him and twisting into something that vaguely resembled a dragon before dissipating, leaving behind the smell of smoke.

"Well," said Ollivander, apparently unsurprised by the display. "That settles that."

Bakura placed the wand back in the box, still grinning. Ollivander shut the box, handing it to him. "I'd be careful with that one," Ollivander cautioned. "It might be a little temperamental. But I'd wager that you're familiar with that."

"I can handle it," said Bakura, with a nod. He walked back to the assembled group, still grinning to himself. He couldn't _wait _to try this one out.

"That will be fourteen Galleons total," said Ollivander to Makoto.

"Of course," said Makoto, nodding. As he paid, Ollivander glanced at Amane. The girl took a step back, inching closer to Bakura.

"I suppose I'll be seeing you again shortly for the young lady?" he asked.

"Two years," said Makoto, with a grin. "If I can't convince her to attend my alma mater."

Amane's response was to grin, sticking her tongue out at her father. Ollivander accepted the gold from Makoto with a nod, watching as the family of four left the shop.

"Misters Bakura and Bakura," he called, just as the boys were about to leave.

The two of them frowned and glanced back at him, Ryou's expression confused and Bakura's slightly annoyed.

"Take care of those wands," said Ollivander. "They'll serve you well in these times."

There was a pause, and then the both of them broke into grins, Ryou's cheerful and Bakura's cocky.

"Of course," said Ryou.

Bakura only responded with a nod, following his hikari and the family out the door.

XxXxX

**Notes: **

**[1] Youkai – **Meaning 'demon' or 'spirit' in Japanese. The –kun added to the end of it is an honorific usually used for male children or teenagers. Put together, 'youkai-kun' is an affectionate nickname used by Ryou's father for Bakura.

**[2]** **Ryou's wand – **Wand wood and core info obtained from Pottermore. You can also find the wood info at pottermorespoilers(dot)tumblr(dot)com(slash)post(slash)9770067306(slash)wand(dash)woods. A special note is that the hazel/unicorn hair combination is extremely loyal to its owner, as Ollivander points out.

**[3] Bakura's wand – **Information comes from the same site as above. You can also look at that site to see why Ollivander thought chestnut with dragon heartstring would have worked. I considered it, but it would have been too easy, especially since Bakura was more motivated by revenge than by greed. Yew and dragon heartstring is also noted to be one of those hazardous combinations (strong core plus volatile/strong wood), which might explain why Ollivander didn't choose it at first, but it fits Bakura, especially since the Millennium Ring is also noted to be one of the only items that will attack whoever tries to wield it if they don't feel that they're strong enough.


	2. New Beginnings

**A/N: **To make this more HP-like, I've set the filter on my Microsoft Word to British English for this document, so I'll be using British spelling instead of American spelling. Not that it matters to the story, but some people might be wondering about it.^^

Some cameos of Yu-Gi-Oh! characters appear in this chapter, but just the ones with English names. No Yugi yet, although he _will _play a part in the overall story, he's not really too important for this year. Kaiba will also make a cameo later on, and yes, there will be a variant of Duel Monsters...soon.

Also, about the OCs, I don't particularly like using them because they get a bad reputation, but since this is Harry Potter and is in a time where there are no canon students I can feasibly use, I'll have to use them. I promise to do my best to avoid Mary Sues, and there will be _no _self-inserts.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Yugioh or Harry Potter.

XxXxX

**CHAPTER 2: NEW BEGINNINGS**

Ryou walked into his bedroom, letting out a sigh of relief as he deposited his armload of clothes onto the bed. He didn't know how many things he had until he started packing for Hogwarts. Even with his father and sister in Japan, the house would be here, but since it would be essentially empty for the next school year, he didn't want to leave too many things behind. He looked up from the mound of clothes, looking over at his yami. Bakura sat cross-legged on the floor, staring at a small black kitten. The kitten stared back, her green eyes almost luminescent in the dim light. Bakura reached out, poking at her.

"…I still can't believe it," said Ryou, walking to stand over his shoulder. "You got a kitten."

The two would be leaving for Hogwarts tomorrow, and had spent most of the past few days packing (Well, Ryou had packed. Bakura had tossed his things in a trunk and called it done). They had gone for a second trip to Diagon Alley earlier that day in order to get an owl for the two of them, as Makoto and Amane would be leaving for Japan right after dropping them off. Ryou had settled for a nice snowy owl that was currently sitting in his cage, eyeing the two of them carefully, but as the family was about to leave the Alley, a litter of kittens for sale had caught Bakura's eye. Makoto, noticing that his son's darker half seemed to be getting attached to one of the sleek black kittens, had gone ahead and purchased her.

"Shut up," said Bakura, moving his fingers out of the way as the cat tried to slash at them. "Sekhmet will grow to be a good companion."

"Is that what you're set on naming her, then?" asked Ryou, staring down at the cat.

Bakura nodded. "It's a good name," he said.

"It's the ancient Egyptian goddess of war and destruction," said Ryou.

"That's what I said," replied Bakura.

Ryou sighed. He dropped down, sitting cross-legged beside Bakura and petting Sekhmet on the head. The kitten curled into Ryou's hand, pleased by the affection. "Sometimes I wonder about you," he said.

Bakura smirked, but said nothing in reply. "Have you decided on a name for our owl yet?" he asked, changing the subject.

Ryou shook his head. "I've been thinking on it," he said.

"How about Horus?"

Ryou shook his head again. "No," he said. "I don't want another Egyptian name. We already have Heka and Sekhmet. We might as well get the whole pantheon at this rate."

"It would fit with the theme," said Bakura.

"Maybe so, but I was considering something different."

"Such as?"

"I was looking at Japanese mythology, actually," said Ryou, leaning back against the trunk at the foot of his bed.

Bakura raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" he asked.

"I considered Fujin," said Ryou. "It's the god of the sky, so I thought it seemed apt."

Bakura snorted softly. "Fujin is a stupid name," he said.

"It is _not_," insisted Ryou. "It means Wind God."

"I'm not calling it Fujin," said Bakura.

"Fine," said Ryou, folding his arms. "I suppose you have a better idea?"

Silence fell for a moment, Bakura going back to playing with Sekhmet. Ryou sighed, getting to his feet. "I guess not..." he said.

"…Tsuku," said Bakura quietly, getting up. He picked Sekhmet up off the floor with both hands, setting her on his bed.

"Excuse me?" asked Ryou, looking over at Bakura with a confused frown.

"We can call him Tsuku. Short for Tsukuyomi. And that's my final offer."

"The god of the moon?" asked Ryou. He frowned, looking over at the owl. The white owl raised his head and stared at him, as if knowing that he was under consideration. Ryou smiled, nodding. "I like that," he said.

"Tsuku it is, then," said Bakura.

Ryou got to his feet, beginning to put the last load of clothes into his trunk. "Are you all packed?" he asked Bakura.

"Just about…" said Bakura with a frown. "There's one thing I refuse to leave without."

He walked over to the dresser, bending down and opening a familiar drawer. Ryou watched him, suddenly understanding. "You're bringing the Ring?" he asked.

"Of course I am," said Bakura, drawing the artefact out of the drawer. It was a circular necklace with a pyramid in the centre of it, spikes hanging down from the circle. Ryou knew those spikes well, and he involuntarily took a step back. The spikes had dug into his skin the day the ring had latched onto him, and the wounds would have left scars, had they not been healed quickly. The Ring had never hurt him since, but Ryou still did not like touching it.

"It's mine. I bled for it. I spent thousands of years inside it. Why would I leave it behind?"

"Well, keep that thing to yourself," said Ryou, tossing the last set of clothes into his trunk and closing it. "You don't want it to get us expelled."

"Worry about yourself, hikari," said Bakura with a smirk, putting the Ring on around his neck. It settled onto his chest, glowing brightly for a moment before it seemed to sink inside him and fade away. "Leave me to worry about what's mine."

Sekhmet, who was sitting on the bed watching Bakura, chose that time to let out a small, slightly confused meow.

XxXxX

The family of four stood on Platform 9 and 3/4, Bakura and Ryou standing with their backs to the train. Makoto held onto Amane's hand, facing them. The two of them were all packed as well, and would be leaving for Japan later that day.

"The two of you be good," said Makoto. "And stay safe."

"We will," promised Ryou, nodding. "I'm going to do just as well as Mum did."

"Just do your best," said Makoto, patting Ryou on the head. "Don't worry about being exactly like your mother. Just do the best that you can do."

Behind them, the Hogwarts Express let out a whistle, sounding the final boarding call. The four of them looked up, watching it.

"Time to go," said Bakura.

"Yeah," said Ryou. He turned back to his family, feeling a strange knot in his throat. "Well, bye!" he said.

"Write lots!" demanded Amane. "I mean it!"

"We will!" Ryou promised. "Take care in Japan. Be careful."

"Watch out for the youkai," said Bakura with a grin as the two of them turned around to walk towards the train. Amane stuck her tongue out at him.

"The only youkai here is you!" she said.

"Ryou," called Makoto, causing Ryou to stop and turn to face him. "Study hard," he said. "Keep your grades up. But try to open up and have some fun as well. Make new friends, and stay out of trouble."

"I will!" promised Ryou, waving at his father and sister before getting on the train. Bakura stepped forward, about to get on as well, when Makoto called him.

"Yami," he said.

Bakura glanced back, a questioning frown on his face. Makoto stared at him for a moment, as if considering what advice he could give that Bakura would actually take seriously.

"…Don't get expelled."

Bakura grinned in response, nodding once and swinging himself onto the train after his hikari.

XxXxX

"Bakura, Ryou."

Ryou took a deep breath and swallowed hard, attempting to calm the rolling sensation in his stomach as he stepped up to the front of the room. He officially _hated _alphabetical order. He sat on the stool, taking a deep breath and clenching his fists.

_/Good luck, hikari/ _he heard his yami say into his mind, snidely.

Professor Flitwick dropped the hat onto his head. It sank over his white hair, blocking his view of the Great Hall. For a moment, there was silence, and then he heard a voice speak. The voice seemed to speak inside of his mind, not a sensation he wasn't used to, but it was different from Bakura's voice.

_Hmm...let's see what we have here..._said the voice. _There's the potential for bravery, yes...an interesting thirst to prove yourself...quite a bit of kindness and loyalty...a touch of insecurity...perhaps Hufflepuff?_

Ryou held his breath, thinking that the hat would sort him now. But the Sorting Hat seemed to 'hmm' to itself, continuing.

_But let's take a closer look. Hmm...there's curiosity as well, yes...and intelligence...quite a quick wit...a good thirst for knowledge...yes...I think you would do well in..._

"_RAVENCLAW!" _

The word was shouted to the rest of the Hall. Ryou let out the breath he was holding as Professor Flitwick removed the hat from his head. The professor beamed at Ryou as the boy slid off of his chair, shakily making his way to the table that was applauding the most. Two other students moved aside, letting him sit. They smiled at him, one of them patting him on the back as he sat down. He did it...he was Sorted. It wasn't his mother's House, but still...Ravenclaw was something, wasn't it? Ravenclaw...it was the House that his father had always said he might have been in, if he had gone to Hogwarts.

He sighed in relief, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders as he turned around and watched his yami step forward.

"Bakura, Yami."

Bakura stepped up to the stool with his usual confident attitude, not looking nervous at all. He sat down, Flitwick dropping the hat over his head. The hat dropped, the edges of the felt barely touching Bakura's fluffy silver hair before the Hat's mouth opened.

"_SLYTHERIN!" _

He felt Bakura's mental smirk as the Hat was pulled from his head and he made his way over to the Slytherin table. The two nearest Slytherins reached out, grinning and patting him on the back as he sat down. One of them said something to him, and Ryou was surprised to see Bakura look over his shoulder before laughing darkly. Ryou sighed, applauding with everyone else. Ambition and cunning did fit Bakura to a tee.

_/I am completely unsurprised.../ _he thought towards his yami.

_/Likewise, know-it-all,/ _replied Bakura.

_/Was that laugh about me?/_

_/...And if it was_?/

Ryou watched as his yami took a seat at the Slytherin table, shaking his head and turning to watch the rest of the Sorting. Two more people went to Gryffindor, and then one girl went to Hufflepuff. In a moment or so, they got their next Ravenclaw, a blond girl named Allyn Edgewood. She walked nervously over to their table, taking a seat beside Ryou.

"Hi," she said shyly.

"Hello," he said in reply, giving her a small smile. "I'm Ryou."

"Allyn," she said. "It's nice to meet you. Um...I'm sorry, I hope you won't think me rude, but is that hair natural?"

"It is," said Ryou with a nod. "And don't worry. I get that a lot. The current story is that my grandfather had a nasty run-in with a youkai who had a fun array of colour changing spells."

Allyn frowned. "What's a youkai?" she asked.

"It's the Japanese catch-all term for magical creature. Kappa are actually native to Japan. They're one of the great examples. They come in all sorts, and some are sentient. It's really quite fascinating." supplied one of the upperclassmen—a dark-haired girl with blue eyes who was seated across the table from them. She turned towards Ryou, smiling. "The Bakuras are an old Japanese wizarding clan, aren't they?"

"Mm," said Ryou, nodding. "Although we've really dwindled down to just my father, myself, and my siblings."

"So did you come from Japan, then?" asked another boy, turning towards them. "Your English is great."

"I was born in England," said Ryou, smiling. "My mother was British. She was actually a Gryffindor."

"Was?" asked Allyn, frowning at him.

Ryou's smile faltered. "Ah...well...she was Muggle-born...and three years ago..."

A hush fell over their pocket of the table. Several of the students nodded sympathetically, their own expressions growing dark as some recalled loved ones they had also lost. The fourth years and above—those that had actually been present at the Battle of Hogwarts—all nodded, their eyes growing hard. Allyn looked on in confusion.

"I...I don't really understand," she admitted.

"Muggle-born?" asked the dark-haired girl again. At Allyn's hesitant nod, the girl shook her head. "I'll explain later." She turned towards Ryou. "I'm Lucia, by the way. Lucia Caldwell. I'm one of your new prefects. We're sorry to hear about your mother. Welcome to Ravenclaw."

"Yeah, you got the better end of that deal. Better warn your brother about the Slytherins. Some of them are still sore about what happened in '98. I've heard Slytherin half-bloods aren't exactly welcome among the older crowd." said the boy who had spoken earlier. He had dark brown hair that was cut short, and had bright gray eyes. "Perseus Blaer, by the way. Your other fifth year prefect."

Ryou smiled slightly as he thought of Bakura. "I think he can take care of himself," he said.

"He should get on fine," said Lucia, "The hat seemed to sort him fairly quickly. Probably means he'll fit in well."

"I can believe it," said Ryou. He watched as Gardner, Tea became a Hufflepuff, taking a seat under that banner. Ryou smiled at her as she passed. He remembered her from the train, along with her louder friends.

"Evil twin?" asked Perseus, grinning.

"You have _no_ idea."

"Well, House rivalry isn't too strong between Ravenclaw and Slytherin, so you two being brothers won't really be a problem. We've got extremists on both sides that might give you grief for it, but it won't be too bad."

"Oh, speaking of relatives," said Lucia, interrupting. "Are you related to Makoto Bakura?"

Another one of the students looked up, turning towards Ryou. "The researcher?" she asked. At Lucia's nod, the girl squealed excitedly. "I _love _his work."

Ryou smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck. "He's my father..." he admitted.

"Really?" asked the other girl, leaning forward across the table. "Could you ask him to autograph one of his books for me? I particularly like the series he did on ancient Egyptian magic."

"I could put in a word..." said Ryou. "He's...actually in Japan now, working on something at Mahoutokoro. He guest-lectures there sometimes, so it might take a while..."

"I'd actually love to hear a lecture," said Lucia. "Does he do any in Britain?"

"Um...I could ask," said Ryou. "He might...maybe do one in Hogsmeade at some point..."

Excited chatter broke out at their end of the Ravenclaw table. Ryou smiled nervously, listening to them. He had no idea his father's work was so popular among the scholarly community, although he knew that it was usually well-received. Normally, talking about his father's research gave him nothing but blank stares and a few polite nods, no matter how interesting it might have seemed to him.

Taylor, Tristan and Wheeler, Joseph became Gryffindors, ending the Sorting for the year. Professor McGonagall stood up as the scroll was rolled up and the hat put away, and a hush fell over the Great Hall as people immediately turned towards her.

"Several quick announcements before we begin," she said. "The repairs to the castle have been completed. The protection spells should be completely reinstated by the end of this school year, after which our Auror friends will be leaving us." She gestured at the pair of Aurors that Ryou had seen at the station, both of whom were seated at the faculty table. "I'd like to inform our first-years and remind our returning students that the Forbidden Forest is still very much off-limits to students except in special circumstances with prior approval from faculty members. Quidditch fans will be delighted to hear that the rebuilding of the Quidditch pitch has been completed—." McGonagall paused for a moment to allow the students to cheer, and then raised her hand to quiet them. "—and the Inter-House Championship will resume this year. Tryouts will be held in a few weeks, and all interested students should take note of that. First-years are not allowed to compete. Flying lessons for first-year students will be held in October, and further announcements will be made. That is all."

She sat down, the dishes in front of them immediately filling with food. Ryou helped himself to a decent portion of food, the conversation around him starting up again. Perseus frowned, interrupting it as he noted Ryou's expression.

"Come on, don't crowd the boy," he said. "He looks nervous enough."

"No, it's alright," said Ryou, smiling at Perseus. "I...um...I've actually gone along with my father for a bit of his research, so I can answer _some_ questions, although I don't know as much as he does, obviously..."

"Ancient Egyptian magic sounds _really _interesting," said Allyn, turning towards Ryou. "Although all magic sounds interesting to me, since I just found out about it in July..."

Ryou turned towards her, still smiling. Unbeknownst to him, some of the Ravenclaws around him had also stopped their conversations to listen in. "Well, I have his books on the subject, so I can lend them to you if you like, but basically the ancient Egyptians did a lot of magic using their hieroglyphics, which they used the same way as the Norse used Runes..."

XxXxX

It was night-time in Japan.

Makoto Bakura sat by his daughter's bedside, watching as Amane slowly drifted off to sleep. He had given her a mild Sleeping Draught earlier so that she could fall asleep, even though it was currently morning in England. He had brewed the Draught himself, so he was certain of its effects and its potency. But he watched regardless, just in case. He couldn't lose Amane...not after what had happened the last time.

At length, her breathing evened out and she pulled her stuffed animal closer, her snowy white hair falling around her face. The sight struck him. Every day, Amane was growing to look more and more like her mother.

The man continued to watch over her, even as he felt the beginning pinpricks of magic against his skin, his instincts warning him of danger.

He didn't turn around, his fingers slowly rolling his wand between them.

"_Homenum revelio..." _he muttered under his breath.

Human presences began to make themselves known. He felt Amane asleep in front of him, felt his own presence strongly around himself, and behind him, he felt another. Makoto frowned, but he didn't turn around.

"Reveal yourself," he said quietly, in Japanese.

There was a pause, and then Makoto heard the rustling of cloth from behind him, a figure leaning against the doorframe.

"It's been a while, Bakura-sensei." said a voice in the same language. "Or should I say..." 

"...Haiiro no Kitsune-san." 

Makoto's eyes narrowed, and he gripped his wand more tightly in his hand, slowly rising to his feet.

XxXxX

**Notes: **

**[1]Sekhmet – **Sekhmet is an ancient Egyptian lioness goddess. She is the goddess of destruction, pestilence, and war, but also of healing for some people. She's known as the fiercest hunter in the Egyptian pantheon. And she's also the namesake of Bakura's kitty~

**[2]Heka – **The family owl, and also the Egyptian deification of magic.

**[3]Tsukuyomi – **The Shinto god of the moon.

**[4] Haiiro no Kitsune – **Literally, gray fox.


	3. Ill Omens

**A/N: **If I don't explain an unfamiliar term in the notes, it's a secret. It might be a secret you could Google, but it's still not something I'm just going to come out and give you. I like to keep just a little bit of mystery in my plots. ^^

**Review Responses: **

**Jisa – **Thanks for the review! Glad you like it!

**FanFreader – **Thanks for the review! Glad you find it interesting!

**PlumageFox – **Thanks! I had to include that after seeing it in Pottermore, lol. Things should pick up a bit after this chapter, now that you-know-who is here...and I don't mean Voldemort.

Please review!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Yugioh or Harry Potter.

XxXxX

**CHAPTER 3: ILL OMENS**

XxXxX

"_Haiiro no Kitsune-san..." _

The words echoed throughout the room. Makoto held his wand loosely in his hand, slowly turning his head towards the dark-haired man who stood leaning against the doorframe. The man wore a black Muggle business suit, his dark hair falling to just under his ears. His arms were folded, and Makoto didn't see his wand anywhere in sight, but he knew this man, and he knew better than to assume he was safe.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Hayasaki?" he asked.

"Polite as always," said Hayasaki with a smirk, straightening up. "I heard all about your time in England, Bakura. Did hunting Death Eaters make you feel like a hero?" 

"No," answered Makoto with a scowl. "Just like less of a villain. What do you want? I have nothing to do with the Hyakki Yakou anymore."

Hayasaki raised a hand, as if to calm him down. "Peace," he said. "I only came here to see you. I heard your teeth had gone dull, Kitsune. You might want to sharpen them, if you want to protect the little kit behind you."

His eyes flicked towards Amane. The threat did not go unnoticed. Makoto glared, lifting his wand arm slightly. "Push me," he dared, "And I'll show you how sharp they still are." 

"Relax," said Hayasaki, waving his hand dismissively. "I didn't come here to taunt you, or to hurt your little girl. I have a message from Abeno-sama." 

Makoto frowned, but relented, although he still didn't lower his wand. "What does Seimei want?" he asked.

"To warn you," said Hayasaki, "You aren't the only one to have unfortunate dealings in Egypt. The players are gathering. The game will soon begin." He frowned in thought, his eyes trailing towards the ceiling. "Well, I believe that's it. We'll be in touch." Hayasaki bowed politely, Disapparating with a soft _pop_. Makoto stared at the place where the wizard had been for a moment, then turned around, looking at the girl in the bed behind him. Amane slept soundly, the effects of the Draught keeping her from hearing their conversation.

He frowned in thought, holding his wand up and pointing it at the roof of the room. _"Salvio hexia. Protego totalum. Cave inimicum," _he recited, keeping his voice low. Magic flowed out of the tip of his wand with each word, causing the room to glow faintly. As an afterthought, he finished the series with an addition of his own. _"__Meitetsu hoshin__." _The words flowed smoothly from his mouth, a hint of red-orange magic weaving into the pale blue glow that surrounded the room. The glow faded into the walls, disappearing. He hadn't used one of his own spells since the night Alice had died, but the situation called for it.

Seimei might trust Hayasaki, but he certainly didn't.

Satisfied now that the room was as protected as it ever would be, Makoto stepped out of it, walking down the long hallway of the family house. He waved his wand in the air distractedly, conjuring a small ball of gray flame to hover over his shoulder. The night air was still, the sound of crickets the only thing that broke the silence.

His thoughts were still on Hayasaki's message as he walked into one of the older studies, frowning as he looked through the scrolls that were kept there.

The game was about to begin.

He pulled out one of the scrolls about the Shadows, laying it flat on the table and beginning to read.

XxXxX

"Hmm..."

Allyn hummed softly to herself from his right, poking at the matchstick in front of her with the tip of her wand. The matchstick had managed to turn a light silver colour, although it was still made of wood. To his left, Bakura stabbed at his own matchstick repeatedly in frustration. His yami had actually managed to _ignite _a few of them over the course of the lesson, and had gotten more and more frustrated with each failed attempt.

"On the bright side, you'll be the best when we learn Incendio," Ryou had said earlier.

It hadn't done much to make him feel better.

The three of them were seated together in Transfiguration, the only class he and Allyn had with the Slytherins. They had arranged their chairs so that they were positioned around a single desk, Bakura and Allyn facing each other and Ryou sitting between them. He and Allyn had become fast friends over the first three weeks of school, a process helped greatly by the fact that she didn't seem at all intimidated by Bakura. Considering most of Ryou's previous acquaintances all found excuses to be somewhere else when Bakura entered the room and started glaring, he had been stunned, and more than a little impressed, when Bakura had growled at her to give up her seat on the second day of class and she calmly but firmly told him that he was perfectly capable of seating himself somewhere else.

Bakura now tolerated her presence, and Ryou had a sneaking suspicion that he liked people who were brave enough to stand up to him, although he would never admit it out loud.

Bakura himself had grown into his role as a Slytherin—not that there was really much to grow into. He seemed to like tormenting Joey Wheeler and Tristan Taylor from Gryffindor. Considering Joey and Tristan were half-blood and Muggle-born respectively, the other Slytherins seemed to approve of and even participate in his hobby, but as far as Ryou knew, he hadn't made any close friends in his own House, instead spending his free time with the two of them.

"You _will _transform! I command it!" said Bakura, glaring down at the matchstick.

"Yami, I don't think it works that way," said Ryou with a sigh, staring down at his own matchstick.

"I'd like to see you do better," growled Bakura, glaring at him.

Ryou frowned in concentration, lifting his wand. He lightly drew the tip over the matchstick, reciting the incantation under his breath. The matchstick seemed to turn to liquid and ripple underneath his wand, its composition and shape changing until he was left with a tiny metal needle.

His eyes widened as he removed his wand.

"I did it!" he said excitedly.

Their Transfiguration teacher, a slightly short blond man by the name of Professor Ridgeway came over, looking down at his work. "Oh, very good, Mr. Bakura," he said. "Five points to Ravenclaw."

Ryou beamed, picking up the needle and rolling it between his fingers.

Bakura looked as though he was contemplating transfiguring Ryou's head.

"I'm still better at you in Defense," said Bakura, folding his arms and leaning back in his seat.

"I've got you at Charms and Herbology," said Ryou with a small grin.

"Charms and Herbology are for girls. I pick up hexes faster."

"Except we don't have a class on hexes, so it doesn't really matter," said Ryou, still smiling as he put his needle down.

"Want me to show you how much they don't matter?" asked Bakura with a smirk.

"Boys, can we _please _just have one Transfiguration class where you two don't bicker like preschoolers?" asked Allyn, looking up.

"Blame Ryou. He starts it."

"Oh, yes, _I _start it..." said Ryou. "Because _that's _believable."

Allyn sighed, rolling her eyes and going back to prodding at her matchstick. "I guess not," she muttered.

"No one said you had to sit with us, Edgewood," said Bakura.

Allyn looked up, opening her mouth to reply. The door to the classroom opened, and the three of them paused, turning towards it. Allyn, who was seated with her back to the door, swivelled around in her seat. Bakura folded his arms, leaning back in his seat and staring as Ryou looked on quietly.

"Professor, sorry to interrupt," came the voice of Argus Filch. "The Headmistress wants you in the Entrance Hall."

"Ah, yes, of course," said Professor Ridgeway, nodding. He turned towards the class. "Class, I'll be back in twenty minutes. Continue working on those matchsticks. I'll grade your work when I get back. The box of matchsticks is at the desk if you need more. Argus, if you please, make sure no one leaves this room until I get back or until the next period starts."

Filch nodded, his eyes drifting contemptuously over the class. "I'll be watching," he said.

"Thank you," said the professor.

The class watched as Professor Ridgeway left the classroom, closing the door behind him. Slowly, each of the students began to go back to their work, talking with each other. Bakura scowled, staring down at the matchstick in front of him like it was the scum of the earth. Ryou looked up, about to offer to help him, when he noticed something.

Bakura suddenly tensed, his eyes widening just a fraction. Ryou felt his sudden sharp surprise through their mental link. He frowned slightly, looking over at him.

_/What's wrong?/ _he asked.

_/Not now,/ _replied Bakura, his eyes flicking over towards Allyn.

"Edgewood," he said. She looked up, frowning at him. "Fetch me a couple more matches."

"Say 'please'," said Allyn, resting her hands on her hips.

Bakura rolled his eyes. "Please," he drawled, as though the word left a bad taste in his mouth. Allyn nodded, pleased with herself. She stood up, walking away from her desk and over to the front of the room. Ryou watched her go, then turned back towards Bakura as he pulled the Millennium Ring out from under his clothes.

One of the Ring's tines had moved out of place, glowing and pointing off into the distance.

Ryou's eyes widened. "The—the Ring—," he began.

Bakura shot him a glare, tucking the Ring back under his robes. _/Yes, fool, go ahead and announce it to the whole class./ _he said.

He immediately clamped his mouth shut, looking around. Allyn was still at the front desk, counting out matchsticks. _/S-Sorry,/ _he said. _/But I've never seen it do that before. What does it mean?/_

_/It means we have company.../_ said Bakura.

_/What do you mean by that?/ _asked Ryou.

_/I don't know yet. Stay on your toes./_

Allyn walked over to them, setting the matchsticks on the table between them. "Here," she said. "I went with thinner ones because they're a little easier to transfigure. So even _you _should be able to manage them."

"Watch it, Edgewood," growled Bakura, picking up one of the matches and poking at it with his wand like nothing had happened. Ryou could feel his troubled thoughts through their link, but Bakura was always skilled at hiding them. He felt them like voices drifting through the water—incoherent murmurs that he could only vaguely detect because of the volume of them.

He decided against saying anything, taking a deep breath and trying to put the thought out of his mind. He looked up. "Alright, listen," he said. "It's more of a mindset than a spell. You're not really forcing the matchstick to change, just sort of helping it along the process..."

XxXxX

Bakura dropped down into an empty seat at the Slytherin table for dinner, a scowl on his face. The Millennium Ring had died down a few moments after the incident, but the memory of it, and the implications, had followed him throughout the day. He didn't tell Ryou. His hikari would only fret, and although Ryou could keep a secret fairly well if he thought it was harmless, when he was stressed he became a horrible liar. He knew he wasn't fooling Ryou, but the boy was smart enough not to ask.

Thankfully, he hadn't had any more classes with the Ravenclaws that day, just Potions with the Gryffindors—the perfect time to make a snide remark as Wheeler and Taylor somehow managed to blow up a cauldron between them...on a potion that required low heat. Bakura was actually finding himself good at Potions, and not just because of the Slytherin stereotype. The class required knife skill and quick, precise actions, two things that came easily to him. The disastrous duo, though, somehow managed to destroy everything they touched, which made him believe they had been sorted into Gryffindor because the Hat mistook plain stupidity for bravery.

Speaking of Potions, Professor Slughorn had approached him after class and asked if 'he and his brother' would possibly like to attend a 'club meeting' sometime in the future. One of the older Slytherins Bakura had asked had confirmed that it was some sort of bid for power—Slughorn liked to collect students that either had influential relatives or showed potential—and he and Ryou were technically enrolled as a famous scholar's sons. The Slytherin had also told him that Slughorn probably wouldn't extend another invitation until after the term ended and it was clear whether or not the two of them were showing potential.

He was decidedly uninterested in helping Slughorn with any sort of bid for power, but he refrained from answering for now. For all he knew, admittance to the club would help him gain some influence of his own...

He frowned as his mind went back to the problem of the Millennium Ring, and he reached forward, silently piling his plate with food. He knew what that meant, of course, even if Ryou didn't. The Ring sensed another Millennium Item in the vicinity. But that still left three questions—which item was it, who wielded it, and why was it here? It felt like an ill omen, two Millennium Items turning up in the same place after three thousand years.

He was three bites into his meal when his questions were answered—ironically by the same Horace Slughorn.

The Slytherin Head of House stood up, quieting the Great Hall. Bakura looked up over his goblet at the man, frowning in thought. He was standing in front of the Slytherin Table, one arm upraised until the conversation in the Great Hall died down to nothing more than murmurs. A boy stood beside him, about eleven years old. He had dark skin, tanned by the sun, and light blond hair. His eyes were a deep violet colour. He was dressed in the Hogwarts school uniform, a Slytherin patch on the front of his robes, but Bakura had never seen him before.

"Thank you," said Professor Slughorn as the Hall quieted down. "Now, as you all know, Hogwarts has been committed to improving relations with other wizarding institutions since the end of the Second Wizarding War. It is to that effect that the Egyptian Institute of Magic has offered to send one of their students, as an expression of goodwill. This young man comes from one of Egypt's oldest wizarding families. He arrived in England earlier today, and was Sorted in a private ceremony in the Headmistress's Office. He will be joining us for the remainder of his studies, so I hope you all welcome him as a friend. Without further ado, I introduce you to our newest Slytherin first year, Mr. Marik Ishtar."

A round of brief applause filled the dining room. Bakura scowled as he watched the boy, his hand resting over his chest.

Underneath his robes, one of the Millennium Ring's tines was rising again.

XxXxX

**Notes: **

**[1] Meitetsu hoshin – **one of the Japanese 4-character idiomatic phrases. This particular one is literally "Bright Wisdom, Preserve the Body", and figuratively refers to a person who is skilled in the art of self-protection.


	4. The Boy From Egypt

**A/N: **It has come to my attention that Ryou's birthday (and thus, Bakura's) is September 2, which is the second day of term at Hogwarts. Students have to be 11 years old **on September 1st** to enter Hogwarts, so that would make Ryou and Bakura 12 instead of 11 in this story, due to them having what's probably the single most inconvenient birthday for a wizarding child, lol.

A note on Marik's personality...if he seems OOC, just remember that he acted nice when he was pretending to be Namu. ^^

**Review Responses: **

**Jisa – **Thank you! I hope you like where this is going. :)

**Sentariana – **Thanks! Yeah, the whole Ryou in Hogwarts thing is kind of overdone, but it was literally the easiest way to do this. And once I had that down, the plot just fell into place around it. I hope you like this update! Thanks for reviewing!

Please review!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Yugioh or Harry Potter.

XxXxX

**CHAPTER 4: THE BOY FROM EGYPT**

Bakura sat with his head in his hand, drawing circles in his notes with his quill and trying not to fall asleep. Professor Binns's class was so dull that he could literally feel his consciousness slipping away from him, and he had had to deal with the boredom of being stuck in the Ring for three thousand years. He groaned inwardly as the ghost droned on about something else he didn't particularly care about, wishing that he was in any other class. Even Transfiguration would be more interesting than _this_.

He searched his mind, mentally worming his way into Ryou's consciousness. It provided him with a good distraction. For one moment, he caught a glimpse through Ryou's eyes. His hikari was standing in front of his cauldron in Potions class, joking around with Edgewood as he stirred his cauldron three times clockwise. Edgewood laughed at whatever he had said, her hand going up to cover her mouth.

The single glimpse was all he got before he felt Ryou's own mind pushing back against his, cutting off his window. Bakura growled under his breath.

_/What the hell, hikari?/ _he asked.

_/My mind isn't something you can invade for your entertainment.../ _said Ryou with a small huff.

_/Oh, come on. I'm dying here./_

_/Well, maybe if you actually paid attention, you wouldn't need to copy off my homework./_

With a snarl of frustration, Bakura opened up _his _mind, allowing Professor Binns's boring voice to drift through the connection between them and towards Ryou. He felt Ryou's boredom almost immediately, followed by a pang of sympathy. Bakura smirked. He had him.

_/No you don't. If I have to sit through that by myself, so do you_,/ said Ryou firmly.

Bakura scowled, clenching his fist under his breath as he felt his hikari forcibly shutting the connection between the two of them. It was a sensation akin to getting the door slammed in your face. He grumbled under his breath, going back to scrawling on his notes in emerald green ink. Ryou had been a lot easier to take over in the beginning, but as time passed, he started to get better and better at shutting Bakura out. He could still worm his way in, but it would take more effort than he wanted to put in at the moment.

Of all the people he had to possess, it had to be a natural Occlumens.

Then again, Bakura wasn't really surprised. Ryou was his reincarnation. And _he _could turn his mind to both Occlumency and Legilimency. Ryou had never attempted to use the latter on him, but Bakura had a feeling that he would find an affinity for it if he tried. Of course, Bakura had three thousand years of experience above his hikari, so he doubted Ryou would ever be invading _his _mind.

He glanced towards the window, scowling at the boy who sat next to it. Marik Ishtar sat with his chin in his hand, his quill lazily moving across his notebook. Bakura glanced away before the Egyptian boy could notice him staring, his mind going back to their first meeting.

_The first year boys' dormitory was almost empty when Bakura walked into it, shutting the wooden door behind him. It wasn't curfew yet, so he knew that most of the other boys would be roaming the grounds, doing homework, or hanging out in the common room. All except one, who still had to unpack. _

_He gave the transfer student an idle glance as he walked in. Another four-poster bed had been added to the dormitory, and Marik stood beside it, quietly laying his things out on the bed. He glanced over them, looking for a hint of gold, but didn't see anything. Marik looked up as he entered, and Bakura nonchalantly tossed his bag onto his own bed. Sekhmet meowed as he entered, jumping off the bed and winding around his legs. He fished out the treat he had smuggled from the table for her, placing it on the ground in front of her and watching as she ate it happily. _

"_Is that your cat?" asked Marik, looking over at him. "She nearly scratched me when I tried to pet her." _

"_Did she now?" asked Bakura, a small smirk on his face. He had his back turned to Marik, so the boy wouldn't see it. He glanced down at Sekhmet. _Good kitty..._he thought, scratching her behind the ears. _

"_I'm Marik," said the boy, turning around and offering a hand to Bakura. There was a smile on his face. "It's nice to meet you." _

_Bakura frowned, staring down at the hand. It was a good act, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. Still, he clasped the other boy's hand anyway, briefly. "Bakura," he said. _

"_Bakura what?" asked Marik, releasing his hand. He was still smiling. _

"_Yami Bakura," he replied, with a shrug. "It's my surname. I prefer it." _

"_It doesn't sound like a British name," Marik commented innocently. _

"_I'm half-Japanese," he answered curtly. Who did Marik think he was fooling? Bakura recognized that he was fishing for information almost immediately. _

"_I thought so," said Marik with a smile and a nod. "You know...back in Egypt, my sister met a man with that surname. Do you know him?" _

"_It may have been my father," said Bakura, watching as Sekhmet finished with her meal and climbed onto his bed. "He worked in Egypt." _

"_Did he?" asked Marik. "I could have sworn he said he only had one son." _

_Bakura looked up at Marik. Outwardly, the thief's expression hadn't changed at all. Unlike Marik, he knew how to act innocent. "Then it might have been a different Bakura," he said. _

"_Must have been, then," said Marik, nodding. "Or maybe he just didn't mention you. You know how it is, twins being two halves of the same person." _

_Bakura stared, folding his arms. Marik was still smiling, although his smile had taken on a more sinister quality. The boy reminded him of a snake—a viper. He felt himself tense, his eyes narrowing. The implication was clear. Marik knew the truth about him and Ryou. _

"_My brother and I are completely different," said Bakura, scowling. "And neither of us appreciate being called the same." _

"_Sorry," said Marik. "I didn't mean to offend anyone. Actually, the reason I came to talk to you was because you reminded me of something." _

"_Oh?" asked Bakura. "What's that?" _

"_Something I saw on a tablet once," said Marik, raising his arms over his head in a stretch and walking towards the door to the common room. "In some old ruins called Kul Elna." _

_Bakura hissed and clenched his fists. It was all he could do to not cross the common room and snap Marik's neck then and there. How dare he? How dare he mention that name here? The boy glanced back at him. "But I guess it was a coincidence," he said. _

"_Yes," growled Bakura under his breath. "A coincidence." _

"_What time is curfew?" asked Marik. "I want to explore a bit." _

"_Eight."_

"_Alright," said Marik. "See you then." _

_He walked into the hallway, closing the door behind him. Behind Bakura, Sekhmet untangled herself from the blankets she had lain in, arching her back and hissing at the door. Bakura stared at her, walking over and stroking her down the back to calm her down. _

"_Next time," he whispered to the cat. "Go for the throat." _

Since then, Bakura had made it his mission to discover Marik Ishtar's secret. He knew that the boy had a Millennium Item, which narrowed it down to one of six possibilities. It wasn't the Eye—he quite clearly didn't _wield _it, and Bakura had gone through his things two nights ago to see whether or not he was hiding it, and it most likely wasn't the Ankh and the Scales—last he knew, Shadi still possessed those. That left the Tauk—which would be almost impossible to hide under Hogwarts robes if you intended to wear it—the Puzzle—which was highly unlikely since he definitely _wasn't _the Pharaoh—and the Rod.

At the moment, the Rod seemed the most likely—if only he could find evidence of it.

And if it was the Rod, that left a whole host of things to worry about. Bakura did not believe Marik's 'nice' act in the slightest.

_I'm on to you..._he thought, shooting the Egyptian boy a glare.

XxXxX

Ryou made a disgusted face, coughing the remains of the white and red Every Flavour Bean into his hand. He coughed a couple more times, tossing the half-chewed bean onto the grass behind him. "I don't know what _that _was, but it was _not _peppermint!" he said in between coughs.

Allyn shook her head. "I don't understand how you two can eat that stuff," she said. "It's just asking for trouble."

"Serves him right for eating it whole," said Bakura with a smirk. He reached into the box, pulling out a bright blue bean. The Slytherin frowned, pinching off a small piece from the end and placing it in his mouth. His eyes widened in brief surprise, and he swallowed quickly, looking up at the girl on the other side of the wizard chess board. He held out the remainder of the bean to her. "Here you go, Edgewood, try one. It's bubble gum flavoured."

Allyn stared at the bean in his hand as if it were poison, looking up at him. "How stupid do you think I am?" she asked. "Knight to E5."

The white knight moved across the board, smashing into the black pawn stationed at that site.

"No, I'm serious," said Bakura, shaking the bean slightly. His face was completely straight. "It's too sweet for me. Bishop to E5."

Allyn made a face as Bakura's bishop crossed the board, smashing her knight to pieces. She looked up at him. "Right," she said. "Because you being nice is believable."

"Fine, be that way," said Bakura, looking genuinely angry. "I was trying to be nice and make friends, but if you're going to act completely mental, I suppose there's no helping it."

He looked away, folding his arms. Allyn stared at him for a moment, then gave a resigned sigh, holding her hand out. "Fine," she said. "I'll take the jellybean."

Bakura looked up, dropping the bean into her hand. Allyn hesitated for a moment, before popping the whole thing into her mouth.

The air was suddenly filled with the sound of choking.

"BAKURA, YOU EVIL, DEMENTED SNAKE!" shrieked Allyn.

Bakura folded his arms, throwing back his head and laughing maniacally. Allyn glared at him. "I should have known," she said.

"Your move, Edgewood," said Bakura after he had recovered from his laughing fit.

"Fine," barked Allyn. "Queen to E5, you great bloody bastard. Check."

"King to A4," replied Bakura.

Ryou smiled slightly, watching them. Allyn complained that he and Bakura bickered, but in truth, she argued with him just as much if not more. The last time he had mentioned this to her, she had forcibly yanked the book she lent him out of his hands, stating that she needed it after all. In the interest of preserving their friendship, he hadn't mentioned it again, but he did find it amusing.

The three of them were sitting in the shade of one of the trees after class. Ryou and Bakura had been playing wizard chess before Allyn's arrival. The girl had watched for a while, before determining that wizard chess was just a more violent version of Muggle chess. She asked to get in on the next game, and Ryou had gladly switched out with her after losing narrowly to Bakura. He leaned over and scratched Sekhmet behind the ears as the cat lay down next to him, smiling at her before looking back up at the game.

It was now a month into the school year and homework had just started to pick up. The three of them had had their first real study session in the library last week, and he and Allyn were starting to spend their evenings sitting around the Ravenclaw Common Room with other first years, going over difficult homework questions. The upperclassmen would occasionally chip in with advice, but it was very seldom that they actually _gave _them the answers. Perseus and Lucia in particular were very helpful. Lucia had actually remembered that he was having difficulty coming up with a topic for a Charms essay and had surprised him by picking up a book at the library that she had found useful.

Ryou found that he liked being a Ravenclaw. It was nice to be able to talk about whatever he found interesting without people looking at him like he was some sort of freak. Ravenclaw House had more than a few eccentrics, and he found himself listening in on conversations about different magical styles, ancient wizarding wars, and once, a discussion on the Muggle internet. In return, he had been asked questions about his father's work, Japanese magic, and at one point, had ended up teaching a small impromptu lecture on the language itself.

Allyn had been especially interested in trying to write his name in Japanese. Once he explained that each kanji character in a name had a separate meaning, she had asked him to translate her name into Japanese. He had come up with Takara Hashimori, and Allyn had asked to keep the piece of paper with the kanji on it for future reference.

His yami looked up suddenly, his eyes fixing on something across the lake. "What the hell is he doing out here?" he asked.

Allyn and Ryou turned their heads at the same time, watching. A lone figure stood on the other side of the lake, not looking at them. He had light blond hair, and was dressed in the Hogwarts uniform. Ryou recognized him as Marik Ishtar, the new transfer student from Egypt. He frowned, glancing back at Bakura. The hostility emanating from his darker half was hard to disguise, even for him.

"That's Marik, isn't it?" asked Allyn, frowning. "What's wrong with him?"

"I don't like him," said Bakura.

"Why not?" asked Allyn. "He seems perfectly nice."

"That's probably why Yami doesn't like him," said Ryou.

"Haha," said Bakura, rolling his eyes at Ryou. "Very funny. I don't trust him."

"Who _do _you trust?" asked Ryou.

"No one, as a matter of principle," replied Bakura. "But you know what I mean."

Ryou sighed, folding his arms. Unfortunately, he _did _know what Bakura meant. Although he wouldn't trust anyone to have his back and help him, he _did _trust certain people in the school to not suddenly snap and stab him in the back. Although, Marik didn't seem like the type to do that.

"To be honest, he seems alright," said Ryou. "I mean, granted, the Hat did put him in Slytherin, so he's probably a little sneaky, but he just seems like a loner to me. Kind of like you. Maybe the two of you could be fr—."

"Don't say it," said Bakura, cutting him off. His eyes narrowed.

"Don't say what?" asked Ryou.

"Don't say 'friends', or I will stuff the remainder of those beans down your throat."

"_I _think you're being unreasonable," said Allyn with a frown, turning back to the game. "He seems fine, for a Slytherin. Rook to C8."

"Edgewood, I thought you were smarter than that," said Bakura, staring down at the board. "It's the nice Slytherins you have to worry about the most." He smirked, staring down at the board. "Bishop to G6. Checkmate."

"What?" asked Allyn, staring down at the board. Her eyes widened as she realized Bakura's trap. Ryou sighed inwardly. He would have warned her, but Bakura had warned him to not say anything to help her during the game. Besides, it wouldn't have been fair. "Oh, you sneak..." said the Ravenclaw girl.

"I try to live up to my House reputation," said Bakura, his smirk widening.

Ryou watched as Allyn pouted but admitted defeat, knowing that the conversation about Marik was over.

That night, he lay awake in bed, listening to the wind whistling outside the Ravenclaw Tower windows. It was stronger than it was most nights, signalling the approach of a storm. Ryou wondered for a moment if the Tower was safe, but quickly dismissed it. If it had survived since the Founders' time, a little storm wouldn't hurt it. He placed his hands behind his head, fixing his eyes on one of the corners of his four-poster bed.

_/You do have friends, you know.../ _he thought towards his yami.

Bakura's response was disgruntled, as if he were trying to sleep. Ryou already knew he was awake. He had checked before deciding to talk.

_/Really, hikari?/ _asked Bakura sarcastically. _/Do enlighten me./_

_/You have me,/ _said Ryou. _/And Amane, and Father. And Allyn too./_

_/I'm forced to put up with you. Amane and the old man are, for all intents and purposes, family. I can't get rid of them. And Edgewood is a nuisance who can be moderately entertaining sometimes./_

_/Why is it so hard to admit that you might like other people?/ _asked Ryou.

_/I don't like __**anyone**__./ _replied Bakura. _/You don't know anything about me./_

_/Yes I do.../ _replied Ryou tiredly, rolling over on his side and pulling his blankets up. _/...I am you./_

There was silence on the other end of the mental link. Ryou sighed, snuggling into his blankets. _/I'm going to sleep.../ _he said. _/Good night, Yami./_

A few more moments of silence. Ryou didn't hear anything from the other end until just before he fell asleep.

_/...Sleep, hikari./_

XxXxX

**Notes: **

**[1] Takara Hashimori – **Takara means "precious thing" while Allyn means "precious", hashi means "edge" and mori means "forest or wood".


	5. The First Flying Lesson

**Review Responses: **

None. Come on, guys, please review. It's the only thing a fanfiction writer gets back from writing fanfiction, since we don't get paid for this. Thank you to everyone who favorited this story though!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Yugioh or Harry Potter.

XxXxX

**CHAPTER 5: The First Flying Lesson**

The Slytherin Common Room was tinged with an eerie green glow, reflecting off the waters of the lake right outside their window. Some people said the effect made the room seem creepy, so it came as no surprise to anyone that Bakura liked it. At the moment, he sat curled up in one of the armchairs close to the fire, a book in his hand. Sekhmet was lying contentedly in his lap, asleep. He occasionally trailed his fingers down her spine as he read, scratching her softly behind the ears.

"Oi," said a voice from behind him.

Bakura looked up, turning his head slightly so he could see the boy. He sighed inwardly.

"Devlin, I have a name, and it is not 'oi'," he said.

"Sorry. Bakura," said the other Slytherin first-year, taking a seat on the couch closest to his arm chair. "What do you think of the new kid?"

Bakura looked over at Duke, frowning slightly. He didn't really engage in conversation with his fellow first-years, but since they all shared a dormitory, some contact was inevitable. "...What do you mean?" he asked.

"I noticed you giving him a look in Potions," said Duke. "Me and some of the others were talking. We think there's something a little off about him."

Bakura frowned, lowering his book. "Off?" he asked. "Off how?"

"He doesn't talk to anyone," said Duke. "Not really. I mean, neither do you, but you don't pretend to be...er..."

"Nice?" supplied Bakura.

"That's the word," said Duke. He stretched out in his seat, laying one arm across the back of the couch. "Anyway, we were just talking about it."

Bakura frowned, drumming his fingers lightly across the cover of his book. It was true that he didn't particularly care for the company of his peers, but he didn't mind using them if he had to. It seemed like his fellow Slytherins had found a common enemy. "...Keep an eye on him," said Bakura. "Something doesn't feel right."

"What, like he's a dark wizard or something?" asked Duke.

Bakura flashed Duke a quick grin. "Maybe," he said. "Who knows?"

Duke gave Bakura a look that said 'I would expect you to be the dark wizard first'. Bakura shrugged, picking up his book and marking his place. He didn't mind. It was partly true, although Bakura hadn't used the kind of magic Duke was thinking of. He frowned, remembering something.

"By the way, what time is it?"

Duke frowned, pulling his pocket watch out of his robes and staring at it. "Half past five. Why?"

Bakura didn't reply, swinging himself out of his seat. Sekhmet gave a loud yelp of protest at being disturbed, jumping onto the floor before she could fall over. He walked towards the entrance to the Common Room, the cat following behind him.

"Off to meet your brother and the Mudblood?" asked Duke, turning around to face him.

_Mudblood..._

A sudden wave of hot anger pulsed through him. Bakura clenched his fist, fighting it back until it was practically nonexistent. Images flashed through his mind, long-buried. Desert sands running dark with blood, flames consuming everything in their path.

_I don't care about anyone..._

A smirk appeared on his face, the corner of his lip pulling back to expose his teeth. He looked back at Duke. "She's fun to mess with sometimes," he said. Duke laughed, accepting his reason. The other boy nodded once at him, dropping back into the couch.

Bakura turned, walking out of the common room. His smirk turned into a scowl as the dungeon wall slammed shut behind him.

"Tch..." he muttered under his breath, slipping his hands into his pockets and walking out of the dungeons.

XxXxX

October saw Ravenclaw and Slytherin first-years standing outside in two lines, broomsticks placed in between them. Ryou shifted nervously in place, glancing down at the broom by his feet as Madam Hooch paced between the lines, watching them. Across from him, Bakura stood in a relaxed position, his usual confident smirk on his face as he watched Ryou squirm. Ryou shot him a heated glare. It wasn't right for him to be so calm when they were about to break the laws of physics in the worst way.

"Ryou, relax, you're making _me_ nervous," whispered Allyn from beside him.

"Why are you so calm anyway?" asked Ryou, looking over at her. Calm was the wrong word for it. She definitely wasn't calm. There was an excited gleam in her deep blue eyes. "You're _Muggle-born_!"

"Yes, but I've always wanted to fly," she said. "If anything, I thought you'd be more comfortable with this, since your dad's pureblood."

"Comfortable?" asked Ryou, ignoring the way his voice rose slightly in pitch. Across from him, Bakura snickered into his hand. "What _part _of this is comfortable? I don't want to—."

"Shh," hissed Allyn and the other Ravenclaw next to him at the same time. Ryou clamped his mouth shut, looking up to see Madam Hooch staring at him and tapping her foot impatiently on the ground. Bakura couldn't help it. He broke into a full-on laugh, causing Madam Hooch to glare at him too.

"If you're all done with your conversations," she said. "We'll begin. Hold your hand out over the broomstick and say 'up'."

Bakura held his hand out over his broomstick, shouting "Up!" in a commanding tone. The broomstick lifted off the ground, and he caught it as it zoomed into his hand. Beside him, Allyn hesitated for a moment before holding her own hand out. "Up!" she said, in a tone that was less demanding but still carried authority. The broomstick moved up into her hand and she caught it.

Ryou gulped, looking down at his own broomstick. "Up..." he said, reluctantly.

The broom rolled over weakly on one side, not responding.

"That's alright, that's alright. Try again," said Madam Hooch.

Ryou looked around, noticing that only a handful seemed to have gotten their brooms on the first try. Marik Ishtar was one of them. He looked back down at his broom, trying to will some confidence into his voice. "Up," he said.

This time, the broom wiggled slightly, but still didn't rise.

_/So, hikari.../ _said Bakura in his mind. _/Going to admit that I can do magic you can't now?/_

Ryou glared at his yami in frustration, turning back down to his broom. "UP!" he shouted.

The broom rose quickly, nearly smacking him in the face. He caught it just in time, his cheeks puffing out slightly as he glared at Bakura, who laughed.

_/So there./ _he thought towards his yami.

Allyn sighed, her eyes passing between the two of them. "Honestly, you two. Sometimes I feel like I'm missing out on a whole other conversation."

_/You have no idea.../ _thought Ryou.

_/And let's keep it that way,/ _replied Bakura, folding his arms.

"Everyone have their brooms?" asked Madam Hooch. "Good. Now, we'll mount, and on the count of three, we'll rise a few feet into the air and come back down."

Ryou mounted his broom, gulping as Madam Hooch gave the signal. The broom rose into the air slowly, his feet just barely lifting off the ground as he hovered next to Allyn. She looked over at him, giving him a small smile. "See?" she asked. "This isn't so bad, right?"

He nodded once in reply, loosening his white-knuckled grip on the broom handle. The ground was still close to his feet, so she was right. It wasn't too bad. He allowed his breathing to steady, and after a while, he was finally starting to feel himself relax. Like this, it was almost kind of soothing, the broom bobbing up and down faintly like a buoy in the water...

"Alright," said Madam Hooch. "Now, we're going to rise higher."

_Wait, WHAT? _

Ryou's eyes widened sharply, his hands tightening around the broom handle. Madam Hooch flew upwards, stopping at a point that was just about level with one of the third floor windows. Slowly, the students started to follow her, some of them eagerly, others reluctantly. Ryou sucked in his breath, trying not to think about what he was doing as he slowly rose. By the time he reached that height, his heart was pounding in his chest, and his face was pale.

_Don't look down..._he thought to himself, squeezing his eyes shut. _Don't look down..._

_/Hey, hikari, what's that?/_

_/Where?/_ asked Ryou, opening his eyes slightly. He let out a small squeak, closing his eyes again.

_/Made you look./_

_/Not. Funny. Yami./_

_/It is for me./ _said Bakura, and even with his eyes closed, Ryou could picture his grin.

"Those of you _who feel comfortable_ may try and fly around the perimeter," said Madam Hooch. "The rest of you can continue to hover."

Several of the students, those who already had some sort of flight experience, took that as an opportunity to zoom off. Ryou opened his eyes just in time to see Marik fly past him, a look of glee on the Slytherin boy's face as he leaned closer to his broom. Allyn reached over, putting a hand on his arm, and he flinched.

"Are you going to be alright?" she asked.

He could see her eyes flicking towards the students who were flying around aimlessly and knew what she wanted. Ryou managed a slightly nauseated smile. "I'll be fine. Go on," he said.

Allyn hesitated. "If you're sure..." she began, pulling his hand away from him.

Something suddenly clipped the underside of his broom, jolting him off-balance. Ryou cried out, holding on tightly and righting the broomstick. His heart jumped in his throat. A silver-haired streak zoomed past him, hovering just ahead of him and slightly above him. Bakura held onto his broom handle with one hand, grinning. Ryou's face flushed in anger, and he glared at his yami through his white hair.

"Bakura!" yelled Allyn, placing her hands on Ryou's shoulders as he took deep breaths. "You've gone too far!"

"Ten points from Slytherin, and I'll see you on the ground, Mr. Bakura!" said Madam Hooch, hovering over to Ryou. "Are you alright?" she asked. "Deep breaths now."

Ryou didn't hear her. His attention was completely focused on Bakura—on his yami's cocky smirk as he stared down at him like he was king of the world. "Alright there, Ryou?" asked Bakura with a grin, tilting his head slightly. "Catch me if you can."

He flew away.

Ryou saw red.

He leaned in closer to his broom, shooting out like an arrow from between Madam Hooch and Allyn. Ryou ignored their shouts, unconsciously adjusting his grip on the broom to give him better control as he neared the pinprick that was his yami. Bakura laughed as he got closer, tugging on the broom handle and rising just out of reach. Ryou immediately followed without even thinking about it, pulling up beside him.

"Caught you," he said.

"Not yet," said Bakura with a smirk.

He pulled down and into a turn as Ryou reached for him, slipping out of his hikari's grip and spiralling down towards the ground. Ryou gripped the broom handle with both hands, following. He tried to get into the inside of the circle Bakura was making, but his yami shifted constantly, stopping him from entering. Ryou grit his teeth and swerved, settling for going to the outside and putting on a sudden burst of speed.

He swung around, the wind whistling through his hair and robes as he narrowed his turn and wound up flying right next to Bakura. The two of them moved in sync, Ryou pulling out of the spiral dive just as Bakura did and flying upwards just a beat behind. He reached out just as Bakura levelled off from his ascent, managing to grab a fistful of Bakura's robes. The two of them slowed to a stop, Ryou breathing heavily.

"Caught you now," he said.

"Funny," said Bakura, looking back at him and smirking. "I thought you were afraid."

Ryou's eyes widened and he released Bakura, looking around. The two of them were hovering higher than everyone else, already level with the part of the castle where the towers began to rise out of the rooftop. He stared on in shock, his eyes moving from the ground, to his yami, to his broom. His heart was beating heavily, but it wasn't from fear. It had been...exhilarating.

"You..." he began, staring at Bakura as realization struck him.

Bakura shrugged in reply. "I just wanted to mess with you," he said. "Don't get ideas." Ryou was cut off from saying anything more as Madam Hooch flew up to them, a concerned Allyn hovering behind her.

"That was some superb flying, Misters Bakura," she said, smiling slightly. "Five points each to Ravenclaw and Slytherin."

Ryou beamed. Bakura said nothing, still smirking slightly as he shook his head.

Allyn sighed, smiling slightly as she watched the two of them.

XxXxX

Ikegawa Katsuhiko had been headmaster of Mahoutokoro Academy for the past twenty years. Makoto remembered him as the Martial Spells teacher from his days at the academy—the class that most resembled Hogwarts's Defence Against the Dark Arts. He stood next to Makoto today, an older man who wore the traditional gi and hakama instead of the wizard robes that England seemed to favour. Even though he was older than he had been when Makoto had seen him last, he still carried himself like the master Makoto knew.

Makoto himself was dressed almost like a Muggle professor would be expected to dress, in a gray suit. He kept his hands loosely in his pockets, watching as Amane played with one of Mahoutokoro's first-years. The boy had strange tri-coloured hair that stood up in all directions, and was short for his age, but that hadn't been what Ikegawa-sensei had brought him to see.

The box containing the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle lay on the ground in front of them, untouched. After the boy, Yugi, had shown him the pieces of the Puzzle and admitted he still hadn't been able to solve it, Makoto let it be, telling him that he was the one meant to hold it. In truth, he had tried, but he had felt a pressure on his hand as he reached for the pieces, pushing him away.

"Your daughter is a lively child," commented Ikegawa as Amane grabbed both of Yugi's wrists, trying to get him to swing around with her. Makoto smiled.

"She is," he said, nodding. "She gets that from her mother."

"She must have been something, to keep you away for thirteen years."

Makoto frowned, his mind going back to Alice—to her easy smile and kind eyes, traits inherited by Ryou. "She was," he said.

"What do you think of it?" asked Ikegawa, changing the subject.

"The Puzzle?" asked Makoto, frowning. "We won't know anything until Mutou-kun solves it."

"Mutou Sugoroku was a colleague of yours at one point, wasn't he?" asked Ikegawa.

Makoto shook his head, grinning slightly. "He was a generation ahead of me," he said. "More like a competitor."

Maybe it was fate, he thought, staring at the Puzzle. His mind went back to Ryou and Yami—his sons, no matter how much one of them protested. And he thought back to the Ring, and to the things he had learned in Egypt.

Both Millennium Items surfacing at about the same time. Ring and Puzzle, Thief and Pharaoh...there wasn't any doubt now that the Shadow Game would soon commence. All it was waiting on was for Yugi to solve it. He thought about warning his sons, but the woman's words from Egypt came back to his mind.

"_Tell no one what I've told you. If you do, you doom their futures."_

He looked up as he heard Amane let out a shout of surprise, watching as a familiar snowy owl swooped down from above.

"Tsuku...?" asked Amane under her breath. She grinned as the owl neared her, swooping over her head. "Father, it's Tsuku!"

Makoto smiled, holding out his arm for the owl. _"__Hai, hai, _Amane-chan," he said. "Go back to playing with Mutou-kun." 

"Mm!" said Amane, nodding as she went back to her game. Tsuku perched on Makoto's outstretched arm, holding his leg out. There were two letters tied to his leg, one written in deep blue ink and the other in emerald green. Makoto untied both, turning towards the owl. It was still daylight. The owl eyed him with a proud look, tilting his head slightly.

"Thank you, Tsuku-san," he said. "Find the Owlery and get some rest. I'll give you a response later."

Tsuku spread his wings, giving a great flap and flying off. Makoto stared at the envelopes in his hands. He opened the blue one first.

"Your sons?" asked Ikegawa.

"Yes," said Makoto, nodding. His eyes passed over Ryou's letter, smiling slightly as he read the words. Ryou was doing well in school and making good grades. He seemed to be enjoying his time at Ravenclaw House, and had even made a friend, a Muggle-born girl named Allyn Edgewood. Makoto chuckled as Ryou expressed frustration about Yami being better at Defence Against The Dark Arts, then talked about how their flying lessons would be soon.

Ryou had always been a little shy. It was good to see him opening up and finding like-minded people. In truth, he had been pleased when he heard that Ryou had been sorted into Ravenclaw. He knew that his son had had aspirations of being in Gryffindor like his mother, but he also knew that Gryffindor would have overwhelmed him very quickly, by sheer force of personality alone.

Makoto put Ryou's letter back in the envelope, opening the next one. It started out much the same way, although it was very different in tone—complaints mostly about how boring some of the classes were and how stupid some of the other students were, and how annoying Ryou was being now that he had a friend, and a good chunk of negative qualities that said friend had. Oh, and of course, the standard 'I'm only writing this because it would be suspicious if my hikari sent out a letter on his own' phrase or a variation of it.

He frowned as he read the next paragraph, his eyes suddenly growing serious.

_A boy transferred here from Egypt. His name is Marik Ishtar. He says that you've met his sister. He has a Millennium Item. I have reason to believe it's the Rod. He knows about me. I haven't told Ryou anything._

Three Millennium Items in the hands of children at a magic school...Makoto folded up the letter, slipping it back into its envelope. Yami was right. It _was _the Rod, simply because he knew which Millennium Items that particular family protected.

Three had surfaced—four, counting the one held by Ishizu Ishtar. As long as the remaining items didn't find their way into the schools, they would be fine, but Makoto had a feeling that it was inevitable. The Puzzle, the Ring, and now the Rod...

Hayasaki was right. Things had been set into motion. The game would soon begin.


End file.
